As is known, heat exchangers are used in a wide variety of applications in order to heat and/or cool the liquids and/or the gases flowing therethrough. In a plate-type heat exchanger, a plurality of pairs of relatively flat, heat exchange plates are stacked together. Each plate has an inlet port at one end, and an outlet port at the opposite end. A fluid passageway interconnects the inlet port and the outlet port and distributes the flow of fluid over the surface of the plate. The individual plates of a pair of plates are orientated such that the inlet ports and the outlet ports are aligned and such that the fluid passageways overlap and communicate. The outer periphery of the individual plates of a pair of plates are sealed in a fluid tight relationship so as to maintain fluid flowing within the fluid passageways. The pairs of plates are stacked upon each other to form the heat exchanger and inlet and outlet nipples are mounted to the heat exchanger to allow for the flow of fluid therethrough. In operation, it can be appreciated that air is allowed to pass transversely through the heat exchanger between plate pairs in order to cool the fluid passing through the heat exchanger.
An example of a prior plate heat exchanger is disclosed in Cheong, U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,559. The Cheong '559 patent discloses a stacked plate heat exchanger with a plurality of stacked plate pairs. Each plate pair includes first and second plates having peripheral portions joined together and central planar portions spaced apart each defining a fluid passage therebetween. Each plate pair has a spaced apart inlet and outlet opening which are openings connected together for the flow of fluid through the fluid passages. Central planar portions have obliquely orientated, parallel ribs formed therein. The ribs are arranged asymmetrically on each plate of a plate pair so that in back-to-back plates of adjacent plate pairs, each rib on one plate contacts no more than two ribs on the adjacent plate of the back-to-back plates.
While its manufacturability has been improved compared to those produced in the past, the plate heat exchanger disclosed in the Cheong '559 patent still requires stacking the embossed plates accurately so that the upstream and downstream on adjacent plates can be connected correctly to form the fluid flow passage. As such, the heat exchanger performance is sensitive to manufacturing equipment and process variation that directly impacts the manufacturing cost. Therefore, it can be appreciated that a heat exchanger which can use low manufacturing equipment and tolerate process variations without affecting part performance would be highly desirable.
Therefore it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a plate heat exchanger that is simple to assemble and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a plate heat exchanger with stronger cooling air turbulence between adjacent pairs of plates that more effectively effectuates the heat exchanger between the fluid flowing therethrough and the air flowing therepast.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a plate heat exchanger that overcomes the shortcomings of prior units.
In accordance with the present invention, a heat exchanger is provided for dissipating heat from a fluid. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of stacked pairs of plates. Each pair of plates includes a first plate and a second plate. The first plate extends along a first axis and has first and second sides. The first side of the first plate has a generally sinusoidal recess therein that extends along the first axis. The second plate extends along a second axis and has first and second sides. The first side of the second plate has a generally sinusoidal recess therein that extends along the second axis and that is out of phase with the sinusoidal recesses in the first side of the first plate. The first side of the first plate and the first side of the second plate form a mating relationship with each other.
The recess in the first side of each first plate communicates with the recess in the first side of the second plate at a plurality of axially spaced locations. The first plate of each pair of plates includes a first aperture extending between the first and second sides of the first plate and communicating with a first end of the recess in the first side of the first plate. The first plate of each pair of plates also includes a second aperture extending between the first and second sides of the first plate and communicating with a second end of the recess in the first side of the first plate. The second plate of each pair of plates includes a first aperture extending between the first and second sides of the second plate and communicating with a first end of the recess in the first side of the second plate. In addition, the second plate of each pair of plates includes a second aperture extending between the first and second sides of the second plate and communicating with a second end of the recess in the first side of the second plate. The first apertures in the first and second plates of the plurality of stacked pairs of plates define a first fluid passageway in the heat exchanger and the second apertures in the first and second plates of the plurality of stacked pairs of plates define a second fluid passageway in the heat exchanger. A first nipple communicates with the first fluid passageway for interconnecting the heat exchanger to a fluid source and a second nipple communicates with the second fluid passageway for interconnecting the heat exchanger to the fluid source.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a heat exchanger is provided for dissipating heat of a fluid. The heat exchanger includes first and second plates. The first plate extends along a first axis and has first and second sides. The first side of the first plate has a recess formed therein that extends along the first axis and that has a configuration corresponding to a first waveform. The second plate extends along a second axis and has a first side that forms a mating relationship with a first side of the first plate and a second side. The first side of the second plate has a recess formed therein that extends along the second axis and that has a configuration corresponding to a second waveform. The recess in the first plate and the recess in the second plate communicate at a plurality of axially spaced locations.
It is contemplated for the first waveform of the recess in the first plate to have a generally sinusoidal configuration and for the second waveform of the recess in the second plate to have a generally sinusoidal configuration. The first waveform of the recess in the first plate is out of phase with the second waveform of the recess in the second plate.
The first plate includes a first aperture extending between the first and second sides of the first plate and communicating with a first end of the recess in the first side of the first plate. The first plate also includes a second aperture extending between the first and second sides of the first plate and communicating with a second end of the recess in the first side of the first plate. The second plate includes a first aperture extending between the first and second sides of the second plate and communicating with a first end of the recess in the first side of the second plate. In addition, the second plate includes a second aperture extending between the first and second sides of the second plate and communicating with a second end of the recess in the first side of the second plate. The first apertures in the first and second plate define a first fluid passageway in the heat exchanger and the second apertures in the first and second plates define a second fluid passageway in the heat exchanger. A first nipple communicates with the first fluid passageway for interconnecting the heat exchanger to a fluid source and a second nipple communicates with the second fluid passageway for interconnecting the heat exchanger to the fluid source.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a heat exchanger is provided for dissipating heat from a fluid. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of stacked pairs of plates. Each pair of plates includes first and second plate. The first plate extends along a first axis and has first and second sides. The first side of the first plate having a recess therein that extends along the first axis. A first aperture extends between the first and second sides of the first plate and communicates with a first end of the recess in the first side of the first plate. A second aperture extends between the first and second sides of the first plate and communicates with a second end of the recess in the first side of the first plate. The second plate extending along a second axis and has first and second sides. The first side of the second plate forms a mating relationship with the first side of the first plate and has a recess therein that extends along the second axis and communicates with the recess in the first side of the first plate at a plurality of axially spaced locations. A first aperture extends between the first and second sides of the second plate and communicates with a first end of the recess in the first side of the second plate. A second aperture extends between the first and second sides of the second plate and communicates with a second end of the recess in the first side of the second plate.
The recess in the first side of the first plate has a configuration corresponding to a first waveform and the recess in the first side of the second plate has a configuration corresponding to a second waveform. The first and second waveforms are generally sinusoidal and the first waveform is out of phase with the second waveform.
The first apertures in the first and second plates partially define a first fluid passageway in the heat exchanger and the second apertures in the first and second plates partially define a second fluid passageway in the heat exchanger. A first nipple communicates with the first fluid passageway to interconnect the heat exchanger to a fluid source. A second nipple communicates with the second fluid passageway to interconnect the heat exchanger to the fluid source.